1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of Imaging Systems and more particularly to the field of instruments used for non-destructively measuring the thickness of a workpiece fabricated from material such as metal. This invention also relates to the field of portable instruments and most particularly to the field portable instruments used for measuring the thickness of metal and for detecting voids or hidden discontinuities impossible to observe without obtaining access to both surfaces of the workpiece. Typical workpieces are meant to include those such as common steel pipe lengths conventionally found as welded segments in industrial chemical and petroleum related industries.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently known non-destructive thickness measurement instruments typically employ X-Ray techniques or mechanical methods that require access to both surfaces of the workpiece under inspection. The invention system characterize an instrument system that does not require access to both sides of the workpiece and that permits an operator to use a hand held scanner and to manually scan a single surface of a workpiece while visually monitoring the imaged cross section of the workpiece for cracks or variations in thickness.